17.02.05
Food for Thought
Newquay's hoteliers will be getting more than
a taste of Cornwall's produce on Monday February 21 at a Food
for Thought workshop being held at the Crantock Bay Hotel.
Organised by the HONEY project, which was set
up by Objective One investment to encourage Newquay hoteliers
to improve their businesses, the event will start with a brunch
buffet made up of entirely locally sourced food. The innovative
workshop will take a look at the benefits for hoteliers and
guesthouse owners of using local food producers and suppliers,
on the quality and variety of products together with Cornwall's
distinctiveness - and all on a realistic budget.
Organisations involved include Taste of the
West: set up to promote local produce, the NHS food sourcing
programme: encouraging Cornwall's producers to supply the
region's hospitals, and the Cornwall Agricultural Council
(CAC). All of these are directly involved with or have been
set up with the help of Objective One investment.
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One
Partnership, said: "Hotels are an ideal way of promoting
the delicious food and drink produced in Cornwall and the
Isles of Scilly. When guests are served with a high quality
product - in this case food, drink and accommodation combined
- they will remember their stay and pass on to others the
message that this region is the place to visit.
"This workshop has come about through several Objective
One related organisations working together. It should help
to boost food and drink producers' income and hoteliers' business
as well as having the knock-on effect of attracting more visitors."
And Ruth Vincent, HONEY Programme Director added:
"This workshop has been developed, like all our workshops,
from listening to our members about the issues that concern
them including how we can help raise the quality of product
offered to their guests. Food sourcing and presentation is
a vital part of this."
David Rodda, CAC coordinator, will open the
event with a presentation on consumer trends and encouraging
food processing locally. He said: "One of our strategic
goals is to build efficient supply chains and this seminar
is one way of engaging with the tourism sector to make them
aware of the wide variety of products produced in Cornwall
and the Isles of Scilly. It will also provide an opportunity
to listen to their requirements so that we can encourage new
activity in food product areas that are not currently catered
for in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly."
Following David Rodda, Angie Coombs from Taste
of the West will advise on consumer expectations adding value
and product knowledge. With his experience of sourcing local
produce on an NHS budget Roy Heath will provide tips on how
sourcing locally can be affordable and achievable.
There will also be presentations from representatives
of Plough to Plate: which provides a wholesale service exclusively
supplying local products to Cornish businesses, the Cornish
Patisserie: which recently expanded thanks to investment from
the Objective One EAGGF (European Agricultural Guidance and
Guarantee Fund), and Trewithen Farm Dairy. Proprietors will
get a chance to meet and chat with these suppliers and wholesalers
so that they can experience at first hand the improvements
in availability and accessibility of local food.
For further information please contact the Objective
One Communications Team: Tel: 01872 223439, Email: cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
*Honey is a £3.7 million project, of which
£1.3 million comes from the Objective One European Regional
Development Fund. The three-year business improvement programme
offers grants of up to £30,000 to upgrade hotel facilities.
Editor's notes:
Honey (Hotels of Newquay Enhance
Yourself) is a £3.7 million project, of which
£1.3 million comes from the Objective One ERDF. The
three-year business improvement programme offers grants of
up to £30,000 to upgrade hotel facilities. The project
is run by private company Newquay for Excellence Training
Ltd and Restormel Borough Council, and is being supported
with a £1.3 million investment from Objective One. Hotels
that sign up to Honey are offered one-to-one mentoring to
improve all aspects of their business and the customer experience,
focusing on five key themes: marketing, guest service, support
services, pricing strategy and physical environment.
Cornwall Taste of the West
is a £3 million Objective One umbrella project, funded
by the European Agricultural Guarantee and Guidance Fund (EAGGF),
the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
and private matched funding. It is part of the Taste of the
West regional food group. Cornwall Taste of the West's four
year project includes a trade development programme and a
marketing grant scheme, available to small and medium sized
food businesses that produce, sell or process foods in Cornwall
and the Isles of Scilly.
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
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